It's not a sequel to Godzilla vs Megaguirus! Okay, that part's more obvious than last time. Today's movie is one of the most highly regarded in the franchise, and certainly the one with the longest title (just call it GMK). It's the darkest, most mean-spirited movie in the franchise so far, rocking a totally different creative crew from anything we've seen on a Godzilla movie before, and love it or hate it you certainly won't forget it. We're joined this week by returning guests and fellow cohos...
Mar 20, 2025•1 hr 52 min•Season 4Ep. 3
It's not a sequel to Godzilla 2000! The often underlooked Godzilla vs Megaguirus brings over most of the creative team behind Godzilla 2000, and sure SEEMS like it should be a sequel, but it very specifically isn't! Setting the stage for a VERY strange new millennium of Godzilla, Godzilla vs Megaguirus gives us prehistoric black hole dragonflies and inexplicable flooding of Tokyo 1. Polish paleontologists will never stop haunting us. We're joined this week by our first guest of the season: journ...
Jan 21, 2025•1 hr 30 min
WELCOME BACK TO LIZARD CHURCH! Derek and Charlotte return after a healthy absence to kick off a new season of Castle Bravo. We had almost as much of a break as Godzilla himself, who was put back to work ASAP after the backlash to TriStar's first American Godzilla film. Godzilla 2000, released in 1999 (because what do numbers mean), received a huge western marketing push and a rare theatrical release. How does this edgy reboot of an edgy reboot fare? Episodes in Season Four will be coming more sp...
Jan 11, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Season 4Ep. 1
The season three finale is here as we tackle one of the most infamous blockbusters of the 90s. It has loomed over our heads for several episodes, languishing in development hell, but the 1998 Tristar Godzilla is finally here. Hollywood Disaster Film magnates Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich bring their crew from Stargate and Independence Day to bring audiences a movie almost as big as its marketing deals were. It's the movie that forced a rapid course correction from Toho, but is it finally time ...
Jan 31, 2024•2 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 11
We're back with Matt and Jayson one last time as we bring Mothra's 90s movie trilogy to a close. It's a movie that was unfairly kept from western audiences for an unreasonably long time, especially when you consider just how good this final entry retroactively makes the entire Rebirth of Mothra trilogy. Moths are good, actually. Yes, we have technically broken our continuity slightly, as a certain movie did finally release months before Rebirth of Mothra 3. Derek thought it would fit better to f...
Jan 10, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Mothra's standalone film series continues as our baby boy Leo fights an aquatic jet plane dragon that is also a starfish parasite factory that is also an ancient garbage disposal created by Not-Atlantis. A furby pees on people. Leo turns into an underwater X-wing. It's a weird movie, but more than that, it's a movie that feels like it was shotgunned through an edit bay so it could be over with already. We're joined once again by JaysonDoesMusic and Matt Storm, returning from our Rebirth of Mothr...
Jan 03, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Godzilla is dead and signed over to Hollywood, but Toho still needs to make money, so they dusted off some old script ideas and set to make Mothra a solo star again. The first of a trilogy aimed much more squarely at kids and families, Rebirth of Mothra is often overlooked but not lacking in charm. Come for Mothra and a goth Ghidorah doing fighting game special moves, stay for an evil camp fairy icon. We’re joined this week by two guests. First, returning from an earlier episode, Matt Storm from...
Dec 13, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 3Ep. 8
It's the end of an era, the end of several careers, and the end of more than a couple lives (not all of them fictional) as the Heisei period of Godzilla movies draws to a close. One of the most beloved entries in the franchise, Godzilla vs Destoroyah ties the end to the beginning by centering the legacy of the Oxygen Destroyer, Dr Serizawa, and the Yamane family. Also, Crab Satan. Crab Satan is pretty cool. For the first time, we're joined this week by not one but TWO guests (both returning from...
Nov 15, 2023•1 hr 30 min•Season 3Ep. 7
And so we're back! From outer space! It's a moment we have been dreading as the Heisei era finally loses the plot. Godzilla vs Spacegodzilla is a fun spectacle, and basically an early Dragonball Z arc in Godzilla form, but it's a case study in how good filmmaking can't overcome basic structural script problems. Derek does a script rewrite live even, a Castle Bravo first (and hopefully a Castle Bravo last). We're joined this week by podcaster, PR man, and fellow SDGC host Matthew Finneman. The ti...
Nov 08, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 6
No, it's not a sequel to Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla. This entry in the Heisei era is the most interested in continuity so far, the most jam-packed with returning monsters, and the least thematically interesting (in that there is no real theme to speak of). But it's big, flashy, and fun, and they managed to make some version of Minilla that doesn't make me physically ill, so that's gotta be worth some points. We're joined this week by writer and journalist Ryan Easby. Like several of our guests th...
Aug 16, 2023•1 hr 44 min•Season 3Ep. 5
With the previous two movies barely managing to break even, the decision was made to Break Glass In Case Of Emergency; it was time to bring back Mothra. The resulting film was not only incredibly faithful to Mothra's original film appearances, but also more smartly reimagined elements of her story to fit into the modern day (especially in comparison to Ghidorah's radical reinvention just one movie ago). It also marks as a sort of final chapter of director Ishiro Honda's connection to the series ...
Jul 26, 2023•1 hr 40 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In the wake of Godzilla vs Biollante's middling box office performance, Toho decided to break out a secret weapon that would ensure a box office draw: King Kong. Except that got messy and complicated quick, so they went back to the workshop and brought out Godzilla's most recurring villain instead: King Ghidorah. What follows is the dumbest, smartest, dumbest again, maybe smartest again movie about time travel we've seen in ages. We're joined this week by freelance writer Erroll Maas, who has a ...
Jul 05, 2023•1 hr 45 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Return of Godzilla was a critical and commercial success, so Toho wanted to strike while the iron was hot. The best way to do this? Find a talented director and force him to work with a script you got in a contest. A tumultuous behind-the-scenes story led us to a movie wildly beloved by fans: Godzilla vs Biollante. Starring a guest appearance by infamous Dragon Quest series composer Koichi Sugiyama. We're joined this week by Dr MJ Cali, writer and actual geneticist. MJ's not as active on social ...
Jun 28, 2023•1 hr 31 min•Season 3Ep. 2
We're back with a brand new season! After an almost 10 year break, Toho would attempt to go back to the franchise's roots with a new direct sequel to the original 1954 film, ignoring everything since and attempting to hew closer to its darker and more political tone. The end result is arguably the best movie in the franchise since its first outing. We're joined once again this week by fellow Super Deluxe GamesCast cohost Brittney aka Peachia. Honestly, after the whole vagina eyes debacle of Godz...
Jun 21, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 1
The Showa era of Godzilla comes to a powerful close with the immediate return of Mechagodzilla and the unexpected return of director Ishiro Honda and composer Akira Ifukube. It's Honda's last time in the director's seat ever, and he makes the most of it with several writing choices and production elements we've never seen in a Godzilla film before. We're joined this week by the final sibling, Bradley Van Dyke. While originally planned as the third host, other obligations have kept him too busy t...
Mar 28, 2023•1 hr 43 min•Season 2Ep. 14
The last of the big five, and arguably Godzilla's most famous enemy, arrives on the scene! We say farewell to director Jun Fukuda with the strange, endearing, ass-kicking movie that introduced the first incarnation of the infamous Mechagodzilla. We're joined this week by writer and friend of the show Andréa Mason, who came uniquely prepared to talk about the inspiration this movie took from Italian cinema. Social Media Links The Show - twitter.com/CastleBravoPod Derek - twitter.com/DerbyCityDere...
Mar 22, 2023•1 hr 36 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Godzilla fully embraces it's transition into rubber suit wrestling with Godzilla vs Megalon, which sees the return of Gigan and the introduction of two cult fan favorites. You probably saw this movie on Mystery Science Theater 3000 back in the day. There is no heterosexual explanation for this battle of the big boys. We're joined this week by Matt Storm, longtime friend of the show and they of many podcasts. Derek and Charlotte have appeared on multiple episodes of the Fun and Games podcast in p...
Mar 08, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Director Jun Fukuda is back with a vengeance and putting on his best Honda impersonation in this alien invasion story, bringing back Godzilla's most famous nemesis (King Ghidorah) and introducing a new monster that would go on to be one of the fandom's all time favorites. The 70s are here, and Fukuda knows how to party. We're joined this week by Josh Fagundes (aka Anoriand), a creator with more talents and passions than we have time to list. It's probably easier to just follow him. Social Media ...
Mar 01, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 11
A first-time director was handed a miniscule budget and told to make a Godzilla movie in a month. The result is predictably messy, but would go on to be a cult classic regardless. Despite being ostensibly a family movie, we think we probably weren't supposed to watch this one sober. We're joined this week by friend and fellow SDGC host Brittney aka Peachia. This was her first Godzilla movie ever. It's possible we owe her a better first experience than this one. Social Media Links The Show - twit...
Feb 22, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Dang y'all who's ready for a downer episode? Honda made a movie that should have ranked among his finest if it wasn't just a little bit off, devoid of the love and passion normally found in these movies. Turns out making movies is hard when your workplace is falling apart and one of your closest collaborators dies right as you start making it. Social Media Links The Show - twitter.com/CastleBravoPod Derek - twitter.com/DerbyCityDerek Charlotte - twitter.com/viscerocomplex...
Feb 08, 2023•51 min•Season 2Ep. 9
It's time for the most infamous Godzilla movie ever made: All Monsters Attack, aka Godzilla's Revenge. Director Ishiro Honda returns for this *explicitly made for children* movie about standing up to bullies and getting your money's worth out of old footage. During the process, we come to a final head against the miserable and frequently racist dubbing practices these movies endured for their original American releases, and thank god we won't be suffering that for any future movies. We're joined...
Feb 01, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 8
For like the fifth time now... it's time. If Ghidorah the Three Headed Monsters was a coming together moment for Toho's most popular giant movie monsters, Destroy All Monsters was a coming together moment for every monster they could feasibly cram into the thing. Starring 11 or 12 monsters (do we count Kamacuras' webbed up corpse?), the Showa era's intended finale is the version of the alien invasion story Honda has told to date. I mean they made like half a dozen more movies immediately after, ...
Jan 11, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 7
We'll never be able to go back to a time before Minilla. Godzilla returns to the hands of director Jun Fukuda for another island adventure and finds himself an unwilling adoptive parent. It's the first appearance of the most infamous and widely-hated character in the Godzilla franchise, but certainly not the last. At least Godzooky could fly. We're joined this week by Lewis White, deputy editor at StealthOptional. Lewis is very funny and we're deeply grateful to have someone else to commiserate ...
Dec 21, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 6
We return to Ishiro Honda and the rest of the Dream Team as they take another crack at a King Kong movie for Toho. Produced in partnership with Rankin Bass, King Kong Escapes is a lesser known Kong outing, and was originally intended as an adaptation of an even lesser known western animated series. Honda's pulp sensibilities prove far more memorable than anything that could have been pulled from the cartoon, even if the result is a mixed bag. We're joined today by game critic, fellow SDGC cohost...
Dec 07, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 5
A new director enters the fray! Honda's busy with other projects, so this Godzilla film (famously almost a King Kong movie) went to director Jun Fukuda, who worked under Honda on several movies. In fact, for the first time so far on Castle Bravo, the entire Dream Team has taken the back seat. Unlike Godzilla Raids Again, it works out; it's recognizably Godzilla at its heart, but with a different flair of personality infused into the film. Since Fukuda's directing almost every movie this season t...
Nov 30, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 4
It's sort of a sequel to Frankenstein vs Baragon, but it's DEFINITELY a way better movie. Join us as we experience this highly influential kaiju horror classic for the first time. Seriously, the horror roots are strong in this one, in a way that Honda hasn't really done with his kaiju movies since Rodan. We're joined this week by fellow podcaster Case Aiken, from the Certain POV network. Most relevant to our listeners, Case Aiken is one of the hosts of the Another Pass movie podcast, which both ...
Nov 16, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Can we pretend this was the start of Season 2? Godzilla, Rodan, and King Ghidorah all return for this explosive and personality-packed pulp sci-fi epic, featuring the Godzilla franchise's most famous alien antagonists: the Xiliens of Planet X. It's a worthy sequel to Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster, and maybe one of the best overall times we've had with a movie yet. We're joined this week by the first of many guests for Season 2: our friend, small-time streamer, and fellow kaiju fan Lou aka Ig...
Nov 09, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 2
We're back, but Godzilla's not (yet)! Castle Bravo returns for Season Two, opening up with cult classic pulp scifi movie Frankenstein vs Baragon, also known as Frankenstein Conquers the World. It's a concept Toho had been trying to get off the ground for years, and it... doesn't hold up that well. Not a great start for the Dream Team this season. Get ready for the death of ideology. Social Media Links The Show - twitter.com/CastleBravoPod Derek - twitter.com/DerbyCityDerek Charlotte - twitter.co...
Nov 02, 2022•51 min•Season 2Ep. 1
It's the finale of Season One, and we're here with a movie that defined a franchise and gave us Godzilla's first turn from villain to hero. If King Kong vs Godzilla introduced the giant monster wrestling match, and Mothra vs Godzilla set the tone, then it's Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster that finalized the formula that would define the series for the next 20 years. Social Media Links The Show - twitter.com/CastleBravoPod Derek - twitter.com/DerbyCityDerek Charlotte - twitter.com/viscerocomple...
Mar 16, 2022•55 min•Season 1Ep. 13
This week features a slight cooldown between major Godzilla movies with the mixed-est bag of all time. Two part diamond heist mystery, one part giant monster movie, all fever dream, It's hard to call Dogora a cohesive vision. However, there's a lot of diamond in this rough, with memorable scenes and characters and a couple of the greatest shots of Honda's career so far. Dogora may have been made in the short downtime between two major projects, but it still has a lot of charm put into it. Social...
Mar 09, 2022•48 min•Season 1Ep. 12
